Gone
by Ororita
Summary: Rukia's gone without a trace, and Ichigo can't find her. A strange woman named Shi has taken Ichigo's powers due to orders from the soul society. Can Ichigo still save Rukia before it's too late? Contains some romance
1. Chapter 1 and disclaimer

**Author's Notes:** Bleach is not, and (thankfully) never shall be, my property. This story is purely fan-made. Bleach is property of Tite Kubo and/or Shonen Jump, yadda yadda yadda, disclaimer disclaimer disclaimer, characters in this story (except the one OC) are property of the creators of Bleach, et cetera, more stuff nobody really reads, and you get the point. If the creators/owners of Bleach so ask, I will remove this story.

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><p>Chapter 1<p>

As Ichigo returned home from another long boring day of school, he did something abnormal for him. He thought. Ichigo walked straight to his room and sat on hid bed, absorbed in thought. Normally Ichigo wasn't one for great amounts of thought, but this was different. He thought back to one week ago, puzzled.

It had just been a normal day up until lunch time, but after lunch, Rukia was gone. Not a trace of her anywhere. Ichigo had searched for her the entire week after school. Nobody had seen her since that day. It wasn't normal for Rukia to disappear like that. What was stranger was that everyone knew she had been there up until that point. If Rukia did leave, surely she would have made everyone forget she had been there that day at the very least. Rukia had just disappeared. No warning. No reason.

Of course, Rukia had been forced to live in the world of the living, in Ichigo's closet, since she had recently been severely wounded by a particularly strong Hollow. Ichigo had been dealing with a different Hollow then, and arrived just as Rukia had collapsed after receiving numerous stings from the giant stinger on the massive wasp-like Hollow. Oddly enough, the Hollow left after seeing Ichigo, and didn't return. As a result of her wounds, Rukia had been unable to return to the Soul Society. She had laid in his closet, drifting in and out of consciousness, for two days, during which Ichigo had feigned sickness to make sure Rukia was okay, though he never told her.

But now she was gone. Ichigo sighed, remembering how they had first met. As if by his thought on the matter, a moth fluttered into his room. Ichigo's eyes widened as a woman in a black kimono stepped into his room through the window.

"I sense it is nearby..." said the woman.  
>"What the hell do you think you're doing here?" Ichigo shouted at her.<br>"Looking for the Hollow you failed to kill." the woman responded dryly, not even looking in Ichigo's direction.  
>"What Hollow?" Ichigo asked, confused.<br>"The one that almost killed Rukia." the woman answered.  
>"Well it's not here I'll tell you that." Ichigo responded.<br>"No." said the woman "But for now, I'm here for something else."  
>"And what might that be?" Ichigo snorted, not actually caring.<br>"You." the woman answered "Your powers as a Soul Reaper are to be taken away since Rukia was placed in your care before she disappeared." The woman pulled out a small hammer with a skull surrounded by blue flames on it. She whipped it around her head, slamming it into Ichigo's, knocking him unconscious. She then turned away, and left Ichigo in his bed as if he were sleeping.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Ichigo woke up the next morning, his head pounding as if he had been up partying all last night. Ichigo looked around for the woman from last night, but she was nowhere to be seen. Ichigo opened up his closet to get his uniform, and found the woman sleeping in there.

"What the hell?" Ichigo said "Why are you in there?"

"Because unfortunately I've been given orders to make sure you survive until they find Rukia, or what's left of her." the woman answered "Which means I have to go to school with you. Which isn't that bad since we're about the same age. But my name is Shihōyō Arusaki, but just call me Shi."  
>"Why do I need to survive?" Ichigo asked.<br>"So they can execute you if Rukia is dead, dying, has become a Hollow, or has been brainwashed into working for them." Shi answered.

The next day, Shi arrived at Ichigo's school. Another "transfer student" to her classmates. At night Shi would disappear, and Ichigo would have to wake her up the next morning. Sometimes she would have blood on her outfit. Obviously it was from fighting Hollows, since there had been a lot of them lately. Ichigo had not given up looking for Rukia though.

After a month and a half of looking for Rukia, Ichigo had almost given up. As he walked home, he looked at the construction site where they were rebuilding and upgrading the Karakura train station after a Hollow had recently destroyed it, though nobody was killed thanks to Shi. As Ichigo walked past, he heard a loud roar, and a massive wasp-like Hollow with yellow tiger markings smashed through a cement truck.

"Heeheehee!" it said in a voice quite high-pitched for a Hollow "Yellow Jacket has found him! Ichigo Kurosaki! Yellow Jacket has finally found him!" the Hollow, apparently known as Yellow Jacket, dived at Ichigo, who jumped to the left as its stinger smashed into the ground, leaving a large crater.

"Heehee!" Yellow Jacket giggled "He's even fun to fight without his powers!"  
>"Hey wait!" Ichigo shouted "You're that Hollow that almost killed Rukia!"<br>"Heehee!" Yellow Jacket snickered, flying in figure eights above Ichigo, just out of his reach if he jumped "Yellow Jacket is honored you remember him! Yes, Yellow Jacket almost killed Rukia. But Rukia almost killed Yellow Jacket, so he fled when you got there. It wasn't fun, I lost my meal and my toy. But now I can have fun with you! It's not as fun that you can't fight back, but I'll enjoy killing you nonetheless! Then you can be reunited with Rukia like you've been wanting so badly!"  
>"How'd you know I've been looking for you?" Ichigo shouted.<br>"Yellow Jacket has been following Ichigo, out of sight of those who can see me!" the Hollow laughed "Soul Reaper Shi almost caught Yellow Jacket once or twice, but Yellow Jacket was too fast for that clumsy Soul Reaper!" Yellow Jacket hovered in one spot, then dived at Ichigo again with blinding speed, stinger ready.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Ichigo wasn't fast enough to avoid the Hollow's strike, but managed to move aside so that it just grazed his shoulder. The Hollow giggled madly at this.

"Ichigo's tough to kill even when he's not a Soul Reaper! Heeheehee!"  
>"You sure talk a lot for a Hollow!" Ichigo shouted "If you like to talk so much tell me what happened to Rukia!"<br>"Heeheehee!" Yellow Jacket giggled "Rukia is living, but not for long! Her soul is slowly being sucked away by Yellow Jacket! But Yellow Jacket wasn't killing her yet, oh no. Yellow Jacket was keeping her as bait to lure Ichigo, because Ichigo's soul looks much tastier than hers! Heehee! But now Ichigo will be mine! I'll take you back to your Rukia, but leave you alive yet helpless, and I'll force you to watch as I devour your Rukia's soul! Then, I'll eat yours, because souls are much tastier when they've been forced to watch a friend, a loved one, die in front of them!"  
>"Well cut to the chase and shut the fuck up already!" Ichigo shouted at the Hollow, kicking it's face since it had drifted down low enough for him to do so if he jumped.<p>

Yellow Jacket was knocked into the ground, but flew back up, its massive wings stirring up the wet cement, creating a whirlpool. The Hollow then whipped up a whirlwind around Ichigo with its wings, flinging him into the cement. Yellow Jacket spit into it, and it hardened around Ichigo, making him unable to move.

"Dammit..." Ichigo muttered.  
>"This is your end Ichigo!" the Hollow said with insane laughter.<br>"Oh really? I think it's you who'll meet your end here!"  
>"Heehee!" Yellow Jacket giggled "Such big talk for a little man stuck in cement!"<br>"I didn't say that." Ichigo said dumbly  
>"I did, and I meant it!" Shihōyō shouted, leaping from the shadows, her sword raised. It had a crosstree hilt, and a curved blade resembling a scythe.<p>

She slashed off one of the Hollow's four wings, causing the Hollow to lose its balance.  
>"Who's the clumsy one now?" Shi shouted mockingly.<p>

The Hollow hissed, and an eerie green glow surrounded it. Within seconds its wing had grown back. It took off into the air, flying away at an incredible speed.

"Stupid Soul Reaper!" Yellow Jacket shouted as it fled "You win this time, but one victory does not win a war! Yellow Jacket will be back!"

"Thanks Shi." Ichigo said as the woman walked over to him.  
>"No problem." Shi responded "You okay?"<br>"Except for my shoulder, yes." Ichigo said  
>"It stung you?" Shi asked<br>"Yes. It hurts more than before though." Ichigo answered  
>"I'll need to treat that then, Yellow Jacket's stings contain poison, which, if left unchecked, will weaken you and torture you, and, just before you die, Yellow Jacket will return for your soul." Ichigo merely grunted in reply.<p>

Shi took her sword and struck the cement with the pommel, and it shattered instantly. However, Shi had to assist Ichigo back to his house, due to circulation in his legs having been cut off. Ichigo's family already knew that Shi would be staying with them until Rukia returned, though they weren't told where Rukia was or why Shi was staying with them, and in Ichigo's closet, but they didn't question anything they had been told due to careful "persuasion" from Shi. Luckily, they managed to slip in the house and up to Ichigo's room without being noticed.

It took late into the night for Ichigo's wound to be treated enough for it to be bandaged. However, the next day Ichigo couldn't move his right arm at all, and suffered from a high fever, and was forced to stay at home. Shi told Ichigo that the poison had been treated before enough had entered his blood stream for permanent effects, and the pain, fever, and other effects wouldn't last more than a few days. Shi had put Ichigo's arm in a sling and claimed he had broken it, and attributed his fever and vomiting to a mere cold.

On the third day of being stuck in his room, Ichigo was almost fully recovered. He awoke to find a large breakfast had been prepared for him and brought up to his room. Not long after, Shi walked in, wearing an apron over her pajamas.

"You're awake, I see." Shi said "Since you haven't been able to eat solid foods without throwing up all over my good clothes until last night, when you could barely eat at all, and haven't really eaten much for the past two days, I brought you a big breakfast since you'll be home today too, and have time to eat it. I wouldn't eat too fast if I were you though, to avoid agitating your stomach again." Shi then went into the closet and shut the door, coming out fully dressed in her school uniform.

"Where are you going?" Ichigo asked.  
>"School, idiot." Shi replied "I can't stay home nursing you, I'll get in trouble. You've never noticed because you've been asleep while I've been gone. I had to get up pretty early to get that breakfast made, and as it is I'm going to be late, and don't have breakfast myself. But I've been ordered to make sure you survive, so I can't do anything about it. See ya." Shi left Ichigo alone in his room.<p>

Ichigo ate his food slowly, eating a little every so often then trying to sleep again. He couldn't manage to drift off, and didn't have enough strength to get up and do something to occupy his time, so he lay in his bed, thinking aloud, since he was the only one home.

"I wonder how Rukia's doing." Ichigo said "That Hollow said that he had her, and he was slowly eating her soul. But where could that Hollow be? Maybe Shi might have an idea... Ah! I forgot to tell Shi about that! Well, she'll be back in about an hour. I'll tell her then."

Far away, in a mountain cave, Rukia lay injured, barely alive, and barely conscious. Yellow Jacket was sleeping, but Rukia was too weak to attempt to kill him in his sleep. As it was she could barely lift her head from the pool of blood around her. She was no longer bleeding, but that was since only earlier that morning. Rukia's eyes were half closed, staring off into the distant Karakura town. They weren't focused, and were glazed over.

"Ichi...go..." Rukia breathed "Where... are you...?"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

AN: ...I couldn't resist the Friday joke, sorry.

"Rukia is where?" Shi screeched "That bastard! We can't let her die at the hands, or legs, claws, and stinger that is, of that scum!"  
>"I wasn't dreaming of it." Ichigo said.<br>"But first, we've got to get your powers back." Shi stated  
>"And how do you propose to do that?" Ichigo asked calmly<br>"A technique of my own." Shi answered "I need to gather the masks from Hollows, which means I have to remove them by force before killing them. Once I gather ten, I'll be able to restore your powers without using too much of mine."

"Sounds good." Ichigo said "And it's Friday, Friday, we have the day off so we gotta get down on Friday. And tomorrow is Saturday, and Sunday comes after, so we've got time to collect those without being interrupted by school." Shi nodded. Just then, a distant howl was heard.  
>"Sounds like Hollow number one." Ichigo said "Good luck, Shi." Shi nodded, and jumped out of the window to find the Hollow.<p>

In the cave of Yellow Jacket, Rukia lay on her side, having regained enough strength to move her arms and eat the food Yellow Jacket brought. Rukia, however, refused to eat what the Hollow brought. Disgusting as it was to eat them, insects were the only things she had to eat that wasn't brought by a Hollow, and the cave was full of them.

By Monday, when Shi had collected six masks, Rukia had enough strength to sit up and look around the cave, but not enough to explore the cave. It was dim, and full of mold. An invisible stream trickled through the cave, the sound of running water echoing off the cave walls. Rukia had already discovered it was close enough and clean enough to drink from. She now sat, looking around, wondering, watching for Yellow Jacket's return.

"Ichigo..." Rukia murmured "Where are you? Are you okay? Are you going to rescue me, or have you given up, like the rest of the Soul Society? I know you wouldn't do that Ichigo... please help me..."  
>"Heehee!" Yellow Jacket chuckled as he flew in "Ichigo can't save you! He isn't a Soul Reaper anymore! In fact, he isn't even among the living anymore! Heehee! And it's all your fault! He died trying to find you, but found me instead! So I killed him and ate his soul! I would have taken him back here if a Soul Reaper wasn't about to try in vain to save him. But I brought you something to ease your pain for your late boyfriend. Heeheehee!" Yellow Jacket dropped a doll with spiky orange hair next to the silent, stone-faced Rukia and flew off deeper into the cave.<p>

The doll had been changed to look more like Ichigo, Rukia noticed. Its hair had been dyed orange, and its kimono dyed black. It had obviously originally been a female, judging from the existence of breasts, small as they were. But it still bore a striking resemblance to Ichigo.

"Is it true?" Rukia said to the doll "Are you really dead? Is it really all my fault?" Tears began to flow from Rukia's eyes, running down her cheeks, dropping onto the dusty ground.

"Ichigo..." Rukia whispered "I caused it... It's all my fault..."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

By the next Friday night, Shi had gathered 10 masks from Hollows. Shi was too exhausted to return Ichigo's powers that night, so it wasn't until Saturday night she could. It was storming outside, bullets rain pattering against the windows, and fierce winds lashing against the house. Lighting struck every so often, the resulting thunder shaking the house.

A ten pointed star (not a devil mark) had been drawn with a circle inside, with Ichigo at the center. A circle had been drawn around the star so that the star was inscribed in the circle. At each point of the star was a mask of a Hollow, and halfway between each mask was a short red candle, burning with a dim light. Ichigo began to recite an incantation instructed to him by Shi.

"Vocem meam Domine." Ichigo cried out "Non sum dignus benedictione divini, sed si vobis damus Domine benedicere. Benedicere Kyrie virtute ut vade, et quære te et interficiam exercitus diaboli. Ego haec a te, ut spes Exaudi orationem meam." as he shouted the last word, a blue light engulfed him briefly, and when it passed, he was dressed in a black kimono with his Zanpakuto in his hand. However, he was also unconscious.

Rukia saw a bright blue light from the cave. She didn't take note, however, because she was still grieving over Ichigo's supposed death.

Ichigo awoke midday on Sunday.

"What happened?" he asked Shihōyō groggily

"You regained your powers as a Soul Reaper." She answered "We will attack Yellow Jacket tonight, as I found where he resides from the Hollows I fought to get the masks."

"Alright. Thanks for everything Shi. I couldn't have done this without you. You're welcome to stay with us afterwards." Ichigo said

"I'm just doing my job." Shi said, blushing slightly "And my job dictates that I leave your house after finding Rukia, but I'm still assigned to this town, and your school, so we'll see each other around."

Ichigo and Shi departed for the cave after about an hour, since it was a large distance away from the Kurosaki household. After several hours of walking, Ichigo and Shi arrived at the foot of the mountain. It was half-past midnight, but all was silent. Not even the insects made noise. Nothing moved, not even the wind. It was uncomfortably tense with the silence and stillness.

"Listen Ichigo." Shi said "I may not make it out alive, but you have to make sure you get out with Rukia. I'll take care of the Hollow. Okay?"  
>"Got it." Ichigo said "I'll try and come back once Rukia is a safe distance away."<br>"Don't." Shi whispered "You need to get back to your house and hide in your room. Lock your doors, lock your windows, hide your kids, hide your wife, hide your kids, hide your wife, hide your kids, hide your wife, and hide your husbands, cause every Hollow in the area will be after you two. Turn off all the lights in your house. Your family will be asleep, and they won't wake up till tomorrow, I've made sure of it. No matter what, don't open the door, window, whatever, for anyone, even me. I'll be able to get in on my own. Okay?"  
>"...fine." Ichigo said grudgingly.<br>"Good." Shi said "Ichigo, I've grown fond of you over the time I've known you. I just don't want my friends to die, okay?"  
>"Right I get it, now let's go." Ichigo said impatiently.<p>

Shi took the lead, Ichigo keeping approximately fifteen feet behind Shi as she had told him. When they reached the cave, Ichigo hid in a bush, waiting, as Shi snuck in unnoticed by Rukia and Yellow Jacket's sentries, who she killed silently. After five minutes, Ichigo snuck in, looking for Rukia.

"Rukia?" Ichigo said quietly "Where are you?"  
>"Who's there?" croaked a hoarse voice from nearby on the ground.<br>"Rukia?" Ichigo called quietly.  
>"Yes. Who are you?" she croaked.<br>"Never mind, we have to go." Ichigo stated.  
>"I can't... my strength is failing me." Rukia replied.<br>"Then I'll carry you." Ichigo said stubbornly.

Just then, as Ichigo was about to pick up Rukia, Shi smashed through the cave wall, followed by Yellow Jacket. Her sword had changed. It was now black, the entire blade, and had a basket hilt. However, Shi didn't appear to be attacking with it, but instead channeling her power through it.

Shi shouted, slicing at the air. One of Yellow Jacket's left legs was severed, and blood spurted from the wound. Yellow Jacket howled, stinging Shi through the stomach.

"Come on! Let's go!" Ichigo shouted, lifting up Rukia and darting from the cave. Two Hollows started to pursue Ichigo, who darted through trees to lose them, barely succeeding. When he reached the town, the road home was blocked off because of construction of the Karakura train station.

"Dammit." Ichigo muttered, darting in a building and taking the stairs to the roof. Ichigo leaped from rooftop to rooftop, Rukia safely over his shoulder, too weak to protest. Ichigo jumped to the ground after getting past the construction site, and ran to his home, locking everything, closing all window blinds, and turning out every light as he had been instructed to do.

Ichigo silently walked to his room and locked the door. Ichigo laid Rukia on the bed, who had passed out while she was carried. The blinds were closed, allowing Ichigo to turn on the light to examine Rukia. She had many small cuts and scrapes, but nothing as severe as the hole in her stomach. It wasn't too deep, but it was terrible to took at. Ichigo did his best to bandage it, vowing to get Orihime to look at it the next day. Ichigo took care of Rukia's wounds as best he could, removed her kimono and giving her fresh clothes, though not removing or replacing her underwear during the process. He then got a sheet and pillow for himself and lay down next to the bed and fell asleep almost instantly.


	6. Chapter 6

PART B

Chapter 6

Rukia awoke around noon the next day. She noticed her wounds had been healed, and that she had on fresh clothing. She was in Ichigo's room.

"How did I get here?" Rukia wondered aloud. Just then the door opened and Ichigo walked in.

"Oh hey, you're awake." Ichigo said "I think this is yours. Kinda creepy, I must say." Ichigo put the Ichigo doll next to Rukia.  
>"Y-You're... al-live..." Rukia stammered.<br>"'Course I am." Ichigo said "Why wouldn't I be?"  
>"Can't say the same for Shi though." Ichigo thought.<br>"I was told you were dead." Rukia said, still astonished  
>"Well you were told wrong." Ichigo said. Rukia just sat there staring at Ichigo, a distant look in her eyes.<p>

"Hey Rukia, you okay?" Ichigo asked. Rukia turned her attention to Ichigo, looking deeply into his eyes. Rukia's eyes sparkled with happiness, and she suddenly hugged Ichigo tightly.

"Wh-what're you doing?" Ichigo asked, starting to blush.  
>"Ichigo..." Rukia murmured "I was so worried about you..."<br>"You say that as if I didn't worry about you." Ichigo said with a chuckle.  
>"Ichigo, I was so scared." Rukia said, tears starting to roll down her cheeks.<br>"It's okay Rukia, I'm here." Ichigo said consolingly, holding Rukia tighter.  
>"Th-thank you, *sniff* Ichigo..." Rukia murmured.<br>"Anytime." Ichigo said "Now I think you should rest. I'll be right here if you need me."

Not even thirty minutes later, Ichigo, having been thinking about how happy he was Rukia was alive, realized something with a start.

"Hey Rukia..." Ichigo said, looking towards her.  
>"Yes?" She said, leaning over the side of the bed "What is it Ichigo?"<br>"I... I don't know how to say this..." Ichigo said, blushing heavily "But I was really worried about you... like nothing I've felt before... and... just seeing you still alive fills me with more happiness than I've ever known..."  
>"So what are you saying?" Rukia asked "That you think you love me?"<br>"Well... I dunno." Ichigo answered, confused himself "I've never felt like this before, I don't know what it is."  
>"I... I don't know what to say." Rukia said, blushing equally hard "I need some time to think."<br>"Alright." Ichigo said.

Rukia and Ichigo talked very little the entire week. Every time Ichigo approached Rukia, she claimed to have to do something and left. Ichigo didn't manage to talk to her until Sunday, because he blocked her way out of his room in the morning.

"Where do you think you're going?" Ichigo asked  
>"Uh... I have to take care of some stuff, and get some supplies from the Urahara shop!" Rukia answered nervously "That's all! Bye!" Rukia had snuck around Ichigo while talking, darting off when she got past him.<br>"What is up with her?" Ichigo muttered to no one in particular.

"I can't keep avoiding him for long," Rukia said to herself "But I can't talk to him either. It's just... awkward. He loves me. I can't... I don't know how to treat him now... and the truth is... I think I love him too."  
>"Beautiful little speech there." Isshun Kurosaki said as he approached an alarmed Rukia "Too bad I only heard the last bit. So, you two are in love eh? That's wonderful! Now you're truly part of the family!"<br>"Creeper..." Rukia thought to herself  
>"I don't know." Rukia said to Isshun "I'm not really comfortable telling him."<br>"Don't worry about it!" Isshun laughed "Why, when I first told my wife that I loved her..."  
>"Oh great" Rukia thought "There he goes again. He really needs to grow up and move on from that woman."<br>"Hey... I've got things to do. I have to go." Rukia said, leaving.  
>"Good luck!" Isshun called after Rukia. "Now where am I and how do I get back?"<p> 


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Rukia casually walked into Ichigo's room, looking around for him. He wasn't in there. Rukia looked throughout the rest of the house, but Ichigo was nowhere to be seen. Rukia walked up to Yuzu after half an hour of futilely searching.

"Hey Yuzu," Rukia said "Have you seen Ichigo?"  
>"He left not long after you did." Yuzu answered "He seemed kinda depressed."<br>"Oh." Rukia said "How long ago was that?"  
>"About two hours." Yuzu answered, seeming worried "I wonder where he could be."<br>"Yeah..." Rukia said. She then started to walk towards the door.  
>"Hey, where are you going?" Yuzu asked.<br>"Looking for Ichigo." Rukia said in an emotionless voice. She then shut the door, walking wherever her legs took her.

"I don't get it," Ichigo muttered "Why has she been avoiding me?" Ichigo was sitting in the one place Rukia wouldn't look for him, due to the fact it would be the last place he'd go: the school library, which was deserted on weekends.  
>"What did I do wrong?" Ichigo muttered "I don't understand it." Ichigo sighed and leaned back in his chair. He wished Rukia would at least try to be nice to him, even if it was awkward for her now, instead of avoiding him.<br>"I wonder where she is." Ichigo said to himself.

Rukia wandered throughout Karakura before realizing where she was. It was the same spot where Ichigo had first seen her, when she had saved him and the spirit of a young girl from a Mantis-like Hollow. She sighed at the memory, nostalgia hitting her like an overwhelming wave. Rukia sat on a bench and thought about Ichigo. After about two hours of thought passed without Rukia realizing it, she got up and began to walk home.

Rukia found herself at a dead end a shadowed alley and realized she was lost. Night had fallen, but the radiant moon had chosen to hide behind ominous dark clouds of fear. Rukia shivered as a cold breeze chilled her to the bone. She turned around from the dead end, seeing several large human figures emerge from the darkness.  
>"Well well well," growled the largest man "What do we have here?"<br>"Stay back!" Rukia shouted, striking a fighting pose. The man chuckled at this, grabbing her by the wrist. Rukia fought to get free but to no avail; the man was much stronger than she. The other four to seven men closed in on her, but it was too dark to tell exactly how many there were.  
>"I'm warning you!" Rukia shouted "I'll kill you all if I must!"<br>"Look here boys!" The man crushing Rukia's wrist in his iron grip laughed "We've got a fighter! We'll have some fun with this one!" The man then produced a knife, pinning Rukia against a wall with the weapon at her throat.  
>"If only it weren't against my orders as a Soul Reaper to harm them..." Rukia thought, tears starting to form in her eyes<br>"Ichigo... I'm sorry..." Rukia whispered.  
>"Who's Ichigo? Your boyfriend?" The man laughed "Well he ain't here to save you now, miss." The other men laughed at this, closing in around Rukia, some with bats, some with switchblades, and one with a gun.<br>"Now you'll just do what I tell you like a good girl." The man who had pinned Rukia against the wall, obviously the gang leader, whispered, his face so close to Rukia's that she could smell the alcohol on his breath.  
>"Hey!" a man shouted from behind the gang, causing them to turn their heads to look at him "You stay away from her!"<p>

Ichigo was walking home from the library. Looking around at the dark, desolate area, he realized he was lost. It didn't appear to be as friendly as his neighborhood. Ichigo knew this was home to at least a few gangs, but Ichigo also knew he could hold his own against most of them. Ichigo walked past a dark alley, where a gang was crowding around a small woman.  
>"What the hell...?" Ichigo thought to himself.<br>"Hey!" Ichigo called out to them "You stay away from her!"

One of the gang members turned to look at Ichigo, but didn't get to see him before being knocked unconscious by Ichigo's fist. Another ran at Ichigo with a bat, swinging it at him, but Ichigo caught the weapon and sent the gang member flying backwards with a powerful kick. Another tried to sneak up behind Ichigo and stab him with a switchblade, but missed, getting knocked unconscious by Ichigo's foot connecting with his jaw.

Rukia watched as Ichigo took out the gang members one by one, then approached the man who had pinned Rukia against the wall.  
>"You better let her go." Ichigo growled "Now."<br>"I don't think so." The man chuckled, signaling to someone behind Ichigo, who didn't notice. Ichigo felt a pistol being pressed against his back, and knew he had lost.  
>"Dammit..." Ichigo muttered. Ichigo was pinned against the wall next to Rukia.<br>"Got any good ideas, smart one?" Rukia whispered sarcastically.  
>"Shut up..." Ichigo muttered angrily.<br>"Take him away." The gang leader laughed "Bring him somewhere nobody will hear from him again." The man with the gun brought Ichigo out of the alley, the two walking away and fading into the darkness, the pistol against Ichigo's back so that nobody would see in the darkness.

As Ichigo walked along, he noticed a switchblade on the ground, most likely dropped by a fleeing gang member. Ichigo purposely tripped, though the gang member didn't realize it. He made sure that his arm concealed the switchblade, which, thankfully, was already sheathed and so didn't injure Ichigo. Ichigo got back up as the thug shouted at him, concealing the dagger in his sleeve. Ichigo continued at a slightly faster pace. Ichigo was brought to an abandoned warehouse, where the man with the gun halted.

"This is it." The gang member chuckled "You'll be sorry to hear that you can't save your girlfriend now, or even yourself."  
>"If I die... you die with me!" Ichigo shouted, stabbing the thug thirty-seven times in the chest, causing him to fire the gun. The gang member collapsed, dead and bleeding heavily. Ichigo also fell to the ground on his hands and knees. Blood was pouring from his wound, and darkness was creeping up in his vision.<br>"I'm... sorry... Rukia..." Ichigo breathed "I can't... save you..."  
>"No..." Ichigo said, trying to rise "I can't... let her... die!"<p>

Rukia heard the faint gunshot from where she was pinned to the ground by the gang leader with his dagger at her throat still. Tears poured from her eyes, for she was helpless to stop what she knew would be Ichigo's fate.

"Ichigo..." Rukia whispered, closing her eyes as the thug searched her pockets.  
>"What gives?" The gang leader shouted "You ain't got no wallet! You'll still have to pay, and if it ain't in cash, it'll be in blood! You better cry for me, girly, and I might let you live." The thug stabbed Rukia in the back, but she made no noise, still concentrated on Ichigo.<br>"What's wrong with you?" The gang leader yelled "You ain't screaming! It hurts don't it?"  
>"Physical pain is nothing." Rukia breathed.<br>"Is that so?" The thug chuckled "Well I think I know what will hurt. You heard that gunshot? Of course you did. Well, that's cuz your boyfriend, he's gone. History. And that's what you're about to be!" The thug went to stab Rukia, but his hand was caught by an even stronger one.  
>"I told you..." said Rukia's savior "Not... to... TOUCH HER!" The thug felt the dagger driven into his throat, blood spurting from the wound as he collapsed, his eyes wide from shock still in death.<p>

As the one who saved Rukia looked at her injury, her eyes closed, and she was unconscious. Ichigo, too, was unconscious before long. They lay side by side, dying, in a large pool of blood, formed from both of them, as rain began to pour down, as if nature itself was mourning them.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Rukia slowly woke up, her vision blurred. As she regained her sight at a painfully slow rate, she noticed she was in what appeared to be a hospital.

"This is... this is the Kurosaki Clinic." Rukia whispered "But... how?" Rukia lay there, wondering how Ichigo was doing, if he was saved in time too, how she had gotten there, and many other things. After a while a young nurse walked into the room.

"Oh, Miss Kuchiki!" the nurse said "You're awake!" she smiled at Rukia as she spoke.  
>"How did I get here?" Rukia asked.<br>"Mister Uryu found you in an alley." the nurse answered "You shouldn't have gone there, that's a dangerous part of Karakura for a lady like you, or any lady for that matter. But since you're awake, I'll go tell Doctor Kurosaki you're okay." The nurse smiled and walked off, leaving Rukia to wonder what had happened to Ichigo.

It was not long before Isshin arrived. He seemed overjoyed that Rukia was awake. However, Rukia noticed that something was obviously troubling him.

"Rukia!" Isshin said loudly "It's great to see you're okay!"  
>"It's good to see you too." Rukia said "But you seem troubled. Is something wrong?"<br>"It's... it's nothing." Isshin answered "Ichigo just hasn't been around for the past week. He's probably out looking for Hollows, or with his friends." Rukia merely grunted in reply.  
>"So he's not here..." Rukia thought "If he's dead, it's all my fault..." Rukia tried to get out of her bed, but was stopped by Isshin.<br>"Don't get up please Rukia." Isshin said "You're still recovering. I wouldn't want you getting hurt. I'll tell you when you've recovered enough."

It was two months before Rukia was allowed back at the Kurosaki household, and another month and a half before Isshin let her leave to look for Ichigo. Even after that amount of time there hadn't been any sign of him. Rukia spent two days away from the Kurosaki household looking for Ichigo. On the third day, she found Renji, who was carrying his Zanpakuto.

"Renji!" Rukia called to him "Have you seen Ichigo anywhere?"  
>"No." Renji answered "But I have received the order to tell you once you recovered that you're now assigned to Hueco Mundo. It seems some Arrancar has been trying to get to the world of the living. Your job is to make sure that the Arrancar doesn't cause any trouble. Ichigo was supposed to go with you, but since he's not here I guess that can't be helped. I'll look for Ichigo while you're gone since I was ordered to be in Karakura. If I find him I'll send him to you."<br>"Fine..." Rukia said, and returned to the Kurosaki household and told Isshin that she would be gone for a while, then departed for Hueco Mundo.

Rukia made it to Hueco Mundo quite uneventfully, and headed towards Las Noches. She had been told that the Arrancar was. However, she could hardly focus on her mission, her mind focused solely on Ichigo. By that time she had realized he must be dead, but refused to accept it.

She was outside Las Noches within a week of arriving in Hueco Mundo. She entered, going straight for where she was told the Arrancar was. When she got there, the room was pitch black, and a sense of fear and anxiety filled the room.

Rukia stumbled around the room, looking for the Arrancar. She found a table, and looked under it but saw nothing. It was pitch black, and Rukia wasn't searching for the Arrancar but instead a light source. Just as she found the light and activated it, she heard a whimper from under the table. Rukia walked over to the table and looked under it, seeing a small, green haired female Arrancar hiding underneath.

"Nel?" Rukia asked, surprised by seeing the small Arrancar "What are you doing here?"  
>"I... I heard a Soul Reaper," Nel whimpered "I was scared..."<br>"Don't be, Nel." Rukia said soothingly. She was about to hug the small Arrancar to comfort her when a familiar voice growled from behind her.  
>"Don't even touch her you bitch." it said.<p> 


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"Don't you even touch her, you bitch." growled a familiar voice from behind Rukia.  
>"I-Ichigo?" Rukia stammered. She started to turn around.<br>"It's not Itsygo..." Nel warned Rukia "He's different. He doesn't know Nel, but he seemed to remember he didn't want to hurt Nel. He's been protecting Nel from Soul Reapers come to kill Nel." Rukia saw what Nel meant. It wasn't Ichigo, but it was. He had become Hollow Ichigo.

"Ichigo..." Rukia said, hardly believing he was alive.  
>"I told you to get away from her." Hollow Ichigo shouted "Now are you gonna do as I said or do I have to make you?" Without waiting for a response, Hollow Ichigo attacked Rukia, who barely managed to block the strike.<br>"He's stronger than I thought." Rukia thought.

Hollow Ichigo struck at Rukia again and again, and most of the time she blocked his attacks, though several did hit Rukia. Hollow Ichigo then jumped over Rukia, pretending to stab at her chest when he landed, but instead slicing her left leg when she attempted to block the fake strike towards her chest. He then kicked Rukia in the chest, winding her and knocking her down. Hollow Ichigo's Zanpakuto struck Rukia's right shoulder as she fell. Hollow Ichigo then stabbed Rukia through the palm of her left hand.

"Why don't you fight back?" Hollow Ichigo growled "Or are you too weak to fight?"  
>"I can't fight you." Rukia said, tears springing to her eyes from more than pain "You used to be Ichigo. I... I can't bring myself to hurt you."<br>"Why not?" Hollow Ichigo growled angrily  
>"Because... I love him." Rukia murmured. Hollow Ichigo's expression was one of complete and utter shock.<br>"You... you what?" Hollow Ichigo shouted angrily "No... NO! This isn't what's supposed to happen!" Hollow Ichigo clutched at his face, doubling over as if he had been struck in the stomach.  
>"Th-this can't b-be happening..." Hollow Ichigo stammered "He's... f-fighting back... I... I... GRAAAAHHHH!" Hollow Ichigo let out a loud yell, and collapsed.<br>"Ichigo...?" Rukia said hesitantly.  
>"Ha..." said Hollow Ichigo "S-sorry... but your b-boyfriend isn't there... Ichigo knows you're lying. He's stopped fighting back against me. He's not that stupid. I don't know what kind of fool you take us for."<br>"I didn't lie." Rukia said firmly "I truly love Ichigo."  
>"Hmph." Hollow Ichigo said "It doesn't matter, he can't hear you now. It's time for you to die, Rukia."<p>

Hollow Ichigo stabbed Rukia through the stomach, his Zanpakuto coming out of her back. Rukia screamed in pain, blood flowing freely from the wound. Hollow Ichigo tore his Zanpakuto from the wound, and looked at Rukia. He stared at her for a long time, his expression obvious a battle was taking place inside of him. Rukia didn't notice because she was already unconscious.

"R...Rukia?" Hollow Ichigo said. He then looked at Rukia closely.  
>"What... what have I done?" Ichigo shouted "Rukia! Wake up! P-please! Rukia!"<br>"Ichi...go..." came Rukia's weak reply "I'm... sorry..."  
>"I'm the one who's sorry Rukia." Ichigo said, tears falling from his eyes "I'm the one who... who did this to you... it's my fault you're going to die."<br>"It's... okay..." Rukia whispered "I am... at peace... knowing... you survive..."  
>"I can't survive with the knowledge I killed you." Ichigo sobbed.<br>"Ichigo... listen..." Rukia said, her voice growing weaker "I... love... you..."  
>"I... I love you too, Rukia." Ichigo said.<p>

Ichigo's eyes were now dry as if he had no more tears to shed. At this point, Nel had wandered over and was sitting next to Ichigo, her eyes still filled with tears, but she didn't make a sound. She appeared to be sucking her thumb, though.

"Goodbye... Ichigo..." Rukia said, her voice trailing off at the end.  
>"Goodbye Rukia..." Ichigo whispered. He then kissed Rukia, and when they broke apart, Rukia's eyes closed and she lost consciousness.<p> 


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Rukia woke up in the Kurosaki clinic again. Her stomach was covered in bandages, and she was alone. Rukia wondered how she had gotten there and where Ichigo was.

"Hey. You're finally awake." said a voice from a corner near the window to Rukia's left. She looked, surprised by the voice, to see whose it was. Rukia smiled weakly to see that it was Ichigo.  
>"Took your sweet time, didn't you, you little midget?" Ichigo said, scowling "You were out so long that you had us worried you wouldn't make it."<br>"I... I was?" Rukia asked, surprised "How long have I been here?"  
>"You were in a coma for a year and a half." Ichigo answered "I was afraid you weren't going to wake up until I had a girlfriend. Orihime tempted me once or twice with the idea, but..."<br>"You... you refused Orihime for me?" Rukia asked, confused. Ichigo nodded, smiling. He was awarded with a bright red hand-shaped mark on his cheek from Rukia that stung for several minutes.  
>"Idiot!" Rukia shouted "Don't you realize Orihime loves you? You waited all this time for someone who was avoiding you before you disappeared on us and doesn't love you at all just because you love me?"<br>"I waited for you because you told me you loved me." Ichigo answered "But I guess you were just lying to get Hollow Ichigo to go away. I should've known." Ichigo walked out of the room, scowling, before Rukia could say anything.  
>"I... I told him?" Rukia thought, having no memory of what happened in Las Noches.<p>

Ichigo avoided Rukia for the rest of the week, simply ignoring her and roughly pushing his way past her whenever she tried to talk to him. It wasn't until Saturday, that she actually got to talk to him, because she woke up before him, and in woke him up to talk by throwing Kon into Ichigo's face.

"What the hell do you want?" Ichigo asked, glaring at Rukia.  
>"I want to know why you've been refusing to talk to me." Rukia shouted "I tried to talk to you about why you were mad, to show you that you didn't need to be angry at me! But you just decided to be an asshole and ignore me!"<br>"Like I should be doing now, it's much easier than listening to you." Ichigo grumbled. Rukia simply ignored the comment.  
>"Ichigo, listen." Rukia said, lowering her voice "I have no memory of what happened after you attacked me. I didn't remember what I had told you to make you turn back when you were Hollow Ichigo at the time I woke up. I-"<br>"Hold that thought." Ichigo said, getting up and walking to the door.  
>"Where the hell are you going?" Rukia shouted, but Ichigo ignored her, opening the door and shouting at Yuzu and Isshin, who were trying to listen in on the conversation. Ichigo then sat back down on the bed.<br>"Right, you were saying?" Ichigo said, scowling.  
>"Thanks." Rukia said, continuing her little speech "I was saying that I meant what I told you in Las Noches. I really do love you, Ichigo." Ichigo didn't respond, but instead got up and walked over to Rukia, who was standing outside the closet door.<br>"What are you doing?" Rukia asked Ichigo, blushing.

Ichigo was standing in front of her with one arm against the closet door. Rukia had blushed due to Ichigo's close proximity to her and the fact that he chose to sleep with his shirt off the night before. Rukia's blush increased as Ichigo, instead of answering Rukia's question, leaned over and kissed her. Rukia's eyes widened at first, but she closed them, and sunk into the kiss, returning it in full. Rukia's body grew limp as Ichigo wrapped his arms around her, and she felt more happiness than she had ever felt before, her heart racing from excitement. The few minutes the kiss lasted was for Rukia and Ichigo a blissful eternity. Ichigo eventually pulled away from Rukia, and smiled.

"I love you too, Rukia." Ichigo whispered, still holding Rukia tightly against his bare chest. Rukia closed her eyes and leaned against Ichigo, smiling.  
>"Don't ever leave me, Ichigo." Rukia whispered.<br>"I won't. I promise." Ichigo whispered back. While Rukia was in a coma, Ichigo had stopped hanging out with his friends to visit Rukia each day, and he had brought flowers the first time and given her fresh flowers whenever the old ones started to wilt. On Sunday, Ichigo was back hanging out with his friends as usual.

"Hey Ichigo, I heard Rukia finally woke up." said one of Ichigo's friends, Mizuiro.  
>"Yeah, she did." said another, Keigo.<br>"That's great, it means I can finally ask her out." Mizuiro said "Oh and here she comes!" Ichigo rolled his eyes at his friend, praying that Rukia didn't say yes despite knowing that she loved Ichigo.

"Hey there boys." Rukia said, smiling "What's up?"  
>"Eh, nothing much." Mizuiro said casually "Hey, Rukia, are you free some time next week?"<br>"I dunno." Rukia said "I'm not sure. Why do you ask?"  
>"Well, I noticed that there was a movie about Chappy the Rabbit coming out next weekend and thought you'd like to see it, since I know you like him a lot." Mizuiro answered "I'd go with you."<br>"Thanks, but no thanks." Rukia said calmly "I've already got a boyfriend to drag to see movies he doesn't want to with me."  
>"What?" Mizuiro asked incredulously "Who?"<br>"If you must know, it's Ichigo." Rukia said, standing in front of Ichigo "Now I've got things to do. Ichigo, I'll be back in about thirty minutes, okay?"  
>"Fine." Ichigo said as Rukia walked off.<br>"You lucky bastard!" Mizuiro shouted at Ichigo "How'd you get Rukia before me?"  
>"I dunno, it kinda just happened, it's hard to explain." Ichigo said.<p>

By Monday, the entire school knew that Ichigo and Rukia were dating. Rukia had already altered everyone's memories except Ichigo and his friends, but including the teachers and principle, so that she was in the same grade as Ichigo even though she had been in a coma for an entire year of school, but nobody except Ichigo and his friends remembered that. No one was more shocked by Rukia and Ichigo suddenly dating than Renji.

"What do you mean you're dating Rukia?" Renji shouted at Ichigo when Ichigo told him at lunch. Renji was the only one at the table who didn't know, the entire group of people at the table being Orihime, Uryū, Chad, Renji, Tatsuki, and Ichigo, with Rukia practically in his lap.  
>"Calm down." Ichigo said "It's not hard to figure out anyway. We've been sitting right next to each other all day, and Rukia's been with me everywhere in the halls. And Rukia fixed people's memories to get a locker next to mine."<br>"Hey, nobody told me!" Renji shouted "And besides, you two can't be dating! Why should Rukia be dating you? I thought she hated you!"  
>"What planet do you live on?" Rukia responded "Ichigo's been my best friend for a while. And besides, I love him, and he feels the same about me, so it's only natural we'd date. I don't see what the big deal is, it's kinda like you're jealous, honesty. And really, it's not like I'd date you anyway if I wasn't dating Ichigo. I probably wouldn't date anyone at all, actually."<br>"I'm not jealous..." Renji muttered, but then raised his voice to be heard better "Besides, you're Soul Reapers, you're not supposed to date! You know the dangers of dating a Soul Reaper! They could be killed at any time, especially with you two's records recently!"  
>"Get over it." Rukia said "We're dating, so what? We'll probably just quit the Soul Society because of the dangers."<br>"You're not supposed to do that!" Renji shouted "You can't just quit the Soul Society! Byakuya will probably kick you out of the Kuchiki household if you do!"  
>"So?" Rukia said "Just watch me. I don't care what Byakuya does. I live with Ichigo and his family anyway, I don't need Byakuya." As Renji opened his mouth to reply, lunch ended, and the group was forced to go to their next class.<p>

Rukia and Ichigo both quit working for the Soul Society, prompting much anger from Byakuya. However, they were allowed to keep their powers as Soul Reapers should they ever need them.

Just as Renji predicted, Byakuya kicked Rukia out of the Kuchiki house and family, though whether it was for dating Ichigo or quitting her job as a Soul Reaper nobody knew. Rukia was adopted into the Kurosaki house by Isshin, and everybody was glad to take her in, most of all Ichigo. Isshin was still overjoyed by Ichigo actually getting a girlfriend, though he did get kicked by Ichigo a few times for remarking on how he could have gotten a much prettier girlfriend, one with bigger breasts like Orihime. Since Isshin had adopted her but she was dating Ichigo, she kept the last name Kuchiki.

Not long after Ichigo and Rukia got home for summer after their first year in college, Ichigo asked Rukia to marry him. Rukia wholeheartedly agreed. They were married in the fall, only a week before returning to college, and Rukia finally took Kurosaki as her last name. Byakuya was, of course, enraged.

The next summer, Nel appeared in the human world, though she didn't know how. Ichigo and Rukia decided to adopt her as their child, and so she became Nelliel Tu Kurosaki. Since Rukia and Ichigo were in college, Nel stayed with Isshin and Ichigo's twin sisters during the school year. After graduating college, Rukia gave birth to twin daughters, and Ichigo and Rukia started a local, but quite successful donut shop.


End file.
